Elongated electrical articles, such as axially leaded diodes are generally tested after they are fully assembled and before they are packaged for shipment. Typically, these diodes have a central, cylindrical body with two wire-like leads extending in longitudinally opposite directions from such body. Quite often the diodes are packaged for shipment by adhering the leads thereof to tape and then winding the tape on a reel. Typically, such taping takes place by carrying the diodes in a closely spaced, parallel relationship on the periphery of a carrier wheel and by manipulating the tape such that it contacts a rather large portion of the periphery so that good adherence of the diodes to the tape is achieved. Typically, the wheel is loaded at a top portion and the taping typically takes place along a lower portion of the wheel.
It is advantageous to test the diodes on the same wheel which is used for taping to make certain each diode is electrically acceptable just before it is adhered to the tape. However, with the tape contacting the lower portion of the wheel, it becomes appropriate to do the testing and subsequent operations along the upper periphery of the wheel. Therefore, as the wheel rotates toward the tape, each diode is electrically tested and an unacceptable diode, for example, one having the wrong polarity is removed and replaced. Heretofore, it is believed that such replacement has generally been done on a manual basis, often with the wheel being stopped for this purpose. Now, a desire to enhance the speed of diode handling has inspired a search for automatic removal and replacement of an unacceptable diode without interrupting the testing and taping functions.
It is known to remove a diode from a wheel by automatically ejecting it from its position thereon. The problem is to properly capture a diode when it is ejected in an ascending path and to do so with proper orientation of the diode and with redirection to a desired location, preferably at a high rate of speed. Heretofore, it has been customary to eject or deflect such a diode from the lower part of a wheel so that the force of gravity works for and not against the capture of the diode.